Two summers ago, when I was feeling especially motivated to make sure everything Benny had learned in school didn’t fall out of his head during the summer, I created these Summer Learning Bingo Boards. And every year since, as the end of the school year approaches, the boys ask if we are doing them again.
Alex’s Board 
Benny’s Board
To say that the children are equally motivated by knowledge retention (i.e., summer learning) as I am would be a stretch (when someone gets “bingo” they can choose from a bag of matchbox cars or something similar, so there’s a tangible reward) but completing reading/writing/math activities – and a few chores sprinkled in, just for funsies – is something they don’t fight me on.
And THAT, folks, is a huge win in my book (even if they are being bribed).
The best part? I spent zero dollars making them. Using random pieces of cardboard and leftover supplies from various craft projects and my scrap-booking days, I was able to piece together a functional bingo board that will serve us for as long as the boys are willing. (I imagine I’ll need to make Em one soon!) The boys made name signs to put on each board and I used 3 x 3 inch scrap paper for the squares. I used photo corners to mount each square so that they can be removed when completed (and changed out completely as needed).
Some squares are the same on each board so the boys can do those activities together. 
As an activity is completed, we take off the square and reveal the “bingo marker”.
Each square includes activities ranging from “complete a math worksheet” (we print out at a stack of both math and reading worksheets at the beginning of the summer – this site has so many to choose from) to “help mommy or daddy with a chore inside/outside” to “pick a new art medium and create something”.
I try to include things that they generally enjoy – the things they came home from school excited about – but also things that I know they need to work on (hence the “play a game with your brother” square.
I should have written “play a game NICELY with your brother”…). It may sound counterintuitive, but I limit the boys to 3 squares a day to prevent them from rushing through activities just for the end result. When they’ve completed a few bingos, we switch up the cards and start again (I have a bag of extra clipped to each board).
Used the back of squares we aren’t using anymore to create new and advanced activities. 
Each square has an initial to be sure they don’t get mixed up.
I cranked out this summer’s squares in 20 minutes while waiting for the boys to get home from their last day of 2nd grade and Kindergarten (insert cry face emoji) and we are ready to rock. Although I haven’t mentioned to them that I have yet to get the “treat” bag… oops! Cheers to a relaxing summer!
